Team Name:

Team Symbol:

I. Team Members Names (First Only)

Mimi
Hank
Andy
(Team members should rotate between building, programming, testing, and working on the wiki. Each member should contribute to the wiki on their OWN computer.)

II. Instructions for Challenges

A. For each challenge you must write a short description of the challenge using complete sentences. Please write in 3rd person, scientific writing.
B. This is where you should include your programming code by including screen screen shots.
You should place all multimedia on photobucket.com and then incorporate it into the site using the embed code.
C. For each challenge you must provide some form of multimedia exhibit. This would be images, a short video, an interview, etc. You should place all multimedia on photobucket.com and then incorporate it into the site using the embed code.
D. For each challenge you should provide a written explanation of the difficulties encountered with the challenge.

DATE: 4/22/2009

Title of Challenge:Point Turn
A. Description (Short Paragraph): R.O.B. moved forward 25 centimeters and then stopped. Then he completed a 180 degree turn and moved backwards 15 centimeters.
B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation):Picture 1: Programming Code

In the first motion block, it programs R.O.B to move forward 25 centimeters. The second block makes him turn exactly 180 degrees, and the final block commands him to move backward from his current spot 15 centimeters.

Video 2: Challenge 1 Completed
This was our first challenge as well as most of our first encounters with robotics in general, so problems were likely to occur on those terms. The first flaw in our design was that the robot did turn, but in the left direction, not the right. Also sometimes the robot turned just a few degrees above or below 180 degrees, which was obviously realized when it went backwards several inches off the line. Probably the most difficult part was keeping the root on the thin line the whole time, for even an instant off the track will not qualify as a success.

DATE: 4/23/2009

Title of Challenge: Square
A. Description (Short Paragraph):

In this challenge, the robot had to drive along a square which was drawn at the front of the classroom. The robot had to drive 62cm forward and then make a 90 degree turn. This same process happened on all four sides of the square. During this challenge, the robot had to stay on the blue tape at all times. If not, the robot was considered not to have made a perfect square.

The programming code above represents the movements that the robot took. The first block makes the robot travel forward at a medium speed. The robot will also travel for only 3 second. The first, third, fifth and seventh block all make the robot accomplish the same action. Block two, along with block 4 and 6, makes the robot turn at a 90 degree angle to the left and travel at maximum speed. The robot will only turn 1 rotation.

Many difficulties were encountered when solving this challenge. The first difficulty was determining how to achieve a 90 degree turn. Many trial and errors were held, but a 90 degree turn was finally achieved. It was determined that in order to achieve a 90 degree turn the power of the robot needed to be at its max and the steering needed to be turned at an angle of 90 degrees. The second difficulty encountered was determining the time limit that the robot would travel when moving forward. When first encountering this challenge, the time limit was set to 2.5. When this was set, the robot only traveled to 5.6cm. The duration was then set to 3 seconds. When this time limit was set, the robot finally traveled to 6.2cm.

DATE: 4/24/2009

Title of Challenge:
A. Description (Short Paragraph):
The third and final challenge before the obstacle course, was definitely more difficult than the first two. The first one consisted of basic turns, the second challenge with more angled and advanced turns, and other movements. The third challenge was made up of advanced turns and many quick transitions between turns and straight drives. First the robot would move forward about 55 CM, before making a very slight right turn, then making a little sharper turn to create a two sectioned long turn. Then (like in the first challenge) would quickly move into reverse and back up about 40 CM. This challenge tested the robots skills, and group three's programming skills.

B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation):
The first image had the robot move forward exactly 55 centimeters. The second motion block programed it to move at a 45 degree turn to the right, and the third made it move and turn another 45 degrees, adding it up to a 90 degree turn. Next it moves forward 25 centimeters in the fourth block, and the fifth and sixth commands makes the robot move directly backwards 40 cm while saying "Beep! Beep! Beep!"

C. Multimedia:

Video 5: Challenge 3 Completed

Video 6: Interview with Hank Gauger about Challenge 3

D. Difficulties Encountered/How You SOLVED the Challenge! (Paragraph):
With the many difficulties from the third challenge, it was a very good test on the robot to see if it could pull these turns. As stated in the first paragraph, it is clear that the quick transitions from turns to drives was a main factor of how many difficulties came into play. Also (like in the second challenge) the turns were split up into two sections. This means that if one turn was off by a certain number of degree's, then the next turn would be off as well. This "Domino" effect played some difficulty with the full degree turns, as well as the drives. Overall, the third challenge was done with a trail and error session that helped calculate the certain number of degree's each time. If the turn was not far enough, then degrees would be added to make a further turn, and vice-versa. Luckily, the trial and error session did not last long, for very good estimates were made in the number of degree's and CM calculation.

DATE: 5/6/2009

Title of Challenge: Obstacle Course
A. Description (Short Paragraph):
In this challenge, an obstacle course had to be created. The obstacle course had to incorporate two types of turns and the robot had to move both forward and backwards. As shown in Image 1, the obstacle course created by group three incorporated many different turns, and some were more difficult than others. The robot also traveled forward and backwards but did not travel the same length one time. Not only did an obstacle course have to be created in challenge 4, but a robot had to complete this obstacle course.
B. Programming Code (Picture and Written Explanation):
C. Multimedia:

Image 1: The Obstacle Course Created
D. Difficulties Encountered/How You SOLVED the Challenge! (Paragraph):
Challenge 4 was completed and showed to the instructor of CA science 7, but group three completed this challenge during the last final minutes of class and did not take a video of the robot traveling this course. The fact that challenge 4 was barley completed could be due to the many difficulties encountered. The main difficulty encountered was the 90 degree turn. Although this may seem like the easiest turn, it is very challenging. This turn is challenging because the robot has to make a perfect turn to the left or right. If this turn is not perfect, the robot will not stay on the tape for the next step (the next step will basically be imperfect) causing the rest of the course to also be imperfect. There was only one 90 degree turn in this whole obstacle course, but it consumed most of group three's time. One day the robot would make a perfect 90 degree turn and the next it would only make a 50 degree turn, but this difficulty was resolved through trail and error.